Ukrainian soldiers from the tank battalion of the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after King Danylo are seen with a T-72 tank on positions near Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Olast on June 26, 2023. (Photo: Wojciech Grzedzinski/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Ukraine's offensive operations near Bakhmut may force Russia to make a difficult decision on whether to pull defending forces from other regions of Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War said in its latest analysis.
Russia has already deployed reinforcements to the Bakhmut area, where Ukrainians reported making headway in clawing back captured territory.
ISW cited Russian sources, which reported Ukrainian counteroffensives along four sections of the front.
Ukraine's counteroffensive, which began in early June, has so far been going slow, with Ukraine saying that the bulk of its forces hasn't yet been committed.
Russia lacks the troops to defend the entire 800-kilometer front line with equal vigor, experts told the Kyiv Independent in May.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Nataliia Khodemchuk, the widow of Valerii Khodemchuk, the first victim of the 1986 Chornobyl disaster, died in Kyiv overnight on Nov. 14–15 after suffering severe injuries in a mass Russian attack on the city.
Russian attacks against Ukraine killed at least 4 civilians and injured at least 17 others over the past day, regional authorities reported on Nov. 16.
Ukraine and Greece have agreed on a new route for gas supplies, among other deals on financing gas imports, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Nov. 16.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Nov. 15 that Ukraine is beginning a full "reboot" of its key state-owned energy enterprises, involving management overhauls and comprehensive financial audits.
As a result of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, the two sides have agreed to move forward with the Istanbul agreements and carry out the release of 1,200 Ukrainian prisoners, National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov said on Telegram on Nov. 15.
Ukraine launched long-range drone strikes on Novorossiysk, targeting an oil depot, a container terminal, coastal infrastructure, and a ship, according to preliminary reports.
Ukrainian forces withdrew from the village of Novovasylivske in Zaporizhzhia Oblast to "more favorable defensive positions," the Southern Defense Forces said on Nov. 15.
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